Invisible Power Effects & Desolidification - Champs 4th Ed

[nedoking]

Greeting Heroes!

 

Requesting confirmation of a rules interpretation on the combination of Desolidification & Invisible Power Effects - Champs 4th Edition rules.

 

If a hero purchased Desolidification and Invisible Power Effects (vision sense groups) - then the effect would be that the character would appear "solid" when "desolid" (i.e. Kitty Pride).

 

My reason for this interpretation is page 68 of the BBB states, "A desolidified character is still visible, s/he looks somewhat hazy (people can tell he's using desolidification)".  Therefore, when the visible effect is removed, they would look solid.

 

The reason for the question is that a player is seeking to build an infiltration expert who can be both invisible and desolid at once.  My direction was that she buy Invisibility and Desolidification. 

 

She was concerned that Desolidification might have a visible effect that would negate the usefulness of running Invisibility at the same time.  Would she be invisible but people would see the special effect of the Desolidification?  Therefore she would also need Invisible Power Effects.  An example would be if a character was Invisible - but had a Force Field without Invisible Power Effects.  People would see an "empty" force field.  I have to confess that I never thought of that possibility.... as I had always interpreted it as I described above.

 

Feedback is welcome.  Thank you in advance.

[Ninja-Bear]

I imagine that Invisible Power Effects-IPE is for making a Desolid seem Solid. If you bought Invisibility Power then you’re invisible. So a person with invisibility and Desolid is both well Invisible  and Desolid like a ghost.

[IndianaJoe3]

Looking, "hazy" is just how onlookers can see that the character is Desolid. If the character is invisible, they can't see the character at all, which prevents them from seeing a normally visible power.

[eepjr24]

I'd say the IPE on Desolidification would not be required unless the player expected to be able to turn on the Desolidification when they are already invisible. Turning on Desolidification would (IMO) make them "flicker" for a moment as the invisibility covered it, as it does when an attack power is used. Otherwise I would say they would remain invisible. Note that Desolidification (and all other "obvious" powers) must be perceived by two sense groups (errr... 3 sense groups in 4e, I looked it up to make sure) when they are in use, so unless the invisibility covered all those sense groups they could possibly be sensed in another group.

 

As to your other question about IPE on Desolidification, Desolidification is an Obvious power, so making it Inobvious would be +1/4, or Invisible (to sight) for +1/2. That would remove the haze, but for +1/4 someone could still make a perception check to see through it (like a fringe on invisibility).

 

All of the above is the technical detail, but really what you need to decide what works for your game. Some folks in 4 color games would hand wave a lot of that stuff and just let the player not be seen until it was important for the story that they be seen. In gritty street level games, every point of power may be scrutinized and you only get exactly what you pay for. So the rules are are a good guide on this type of thing but don't let them override your story.

 

- E 

[unclevlad]

IPE means basically that it's not apparent that the power is active.  So, for Desolid, yes, it's so that you can't tell the difference...i.e., the person appears solid.

 

If the invisibility is completely separate from the Desolid...and note that Desolid has some disadvantages...then what I suggest is to buy the base Invis, ergo with a fringe.  Then buy the No Fringe adder as linked to the Desolid.  The powers complement each other in that regard.